I need to get recertified- it's been a few years. I haven't needed to use it, other than the Heimlich on a choking friend (food went the wrong way, everyone else thought she was laughing. Two quick pulls and she was fine.)

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If wisdom’s ways you wisely seek,Five things observe with care,To whom you speak,Of whom you speak,And how, and when, and where.Caroline Lake Ingalls

My last training was just over a year ago. Luckily, it's through the American Heart Association so the certification lasts three years. My employer paid for it, so i'm not sure what I'm going to do when it expires.

In my career I have to stay currenty (teacher). I have used my first aid training when a man colapsed in the middle of the road and was just left there with cars driving around him. He was having seziurs, kept him safe and warm (mid winter) until the ambulance arrived. Also knew what to do to stop the bleeding from my daughter when we were in a serious car accident when her nose was broken.

Mr. Nutrax collapsed right in front of me from sudden cardiac arrest. (This was a different episode from the one I mentioned in the blood thread where his life was saved by donated blood). The first thing I did was call 911, as had been drummed into me in my emergency response class. I was still assessing whether or not Mr. Nutrax was breathing when the fire department arrived (the station is very close.) They had him under CPR for almost 20 minutes before they were able to get his heart started again, using a defibrillator.

That was three years ago. He's still very much alive, although recovery was a long haul, due to some brain damage.

I got the names of all the firefighters & paramedics who showed up and sent them an effusive thank you letter, that started out "you saved a life last Saturday..." That made their day--they rarely hear about the outcome of a medical call.

I'm a Red Cross volunteer- so I had to do the basic certificate, even though I'm in Refugee Services!

We were taught CPR, but I'm not sure what AED stands for!

AED is an automatic external defibrillator.

No- they wouldn't let me loose with one of those!

The AEDs are really smart...they kinda wono't LET you screw things up. You just follow the prompts.(so, for peope who can't/don't/whatever get trained? If there's an AED device when someone needs one, you don't NEED trianing--follow the pictogram in the container, follow the prompts (voice or phone or picture--they veary), and use it! It won't screw things up.

DF and I were both CPR- and AED-certified until May or June of this year and haven't gotten recertified. I actually got certified a 2nd time before the 1st certification lapsed because I learned that my first certification was not from an officially recognized organization for CPR certifications (that's what I get for trying to save money). Can't remember what it was I needed to have the CPR-certification for (did it the first time just because I thought it was a good thing to know), but I went and got it done officially this time (with the Red Cross) and took DF with me (it was free at this one event they were doing in the next county).

I was going to get my advanced CPR certification through the local community college because I'd eventually like to become a healthcare professional but since I'm not near ready yet to start down that path, I, I'm afraid to say, am reluctant to take the basic CPR certification there because you're only allowed a maximum of three times (which is why I let it lapse; I was actually scheduled to get it done this past summer).